


Beautiful

by LadyBardock



Series: True Love [4]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Longing, M/M, New York City, Painting, Past Child Abuse, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-09 19:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5552663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBardock/pseuds/LadyBardock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kili and Fili met at collage and now work together, Fili has no idea why the most talented student from his year believes he's average and why he is stubborn to live in a old dilapidated building in NYC. Thorin is not really happy his heir instead of working in the Erebor office chose to paint walls... little does he know but Kili's appearance in their life will change pretty much everything...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Beautiful...” Fili gazed at the wall they just finished painting. He had been working nearly four months with Kili, painting and decorating designs. They met at collage and when Kili began taking jobs it soon turned out that one person worked too slow. So Kili hesitantly put up an ad on the notice board and Fili began helping and finally they were working full time together. Some projects were simple designs for kids, like painting a jungle or cartoon characters, some were historical decorations like the one they just finished.

“We’re getting good at this.” Kili added with a smile. “Are you hungry? We could celebrate finishing yet another project over some pizza.” He added with a smile.

“I’m going to dinner with my uncle.” Fili told him slowly, slightly disappointed he had made an appointment for that night when Kili made a tiny step into his direction.

“Too bad.” Kili told him lightly, pretending the refusal did not hurt. “So I’ll see you next week?”

“Yeah, at the Fosters home. We’re painting the stars and moon again.” Fili gasped.

“Fucking luminescent paint, doesn’t wash off hands.” Kili complained and began packing their equipment. Fili quickly helped him, and soon they went their separate ways, just like always.

\------

“So how is your work going?” Thorin asked Fili with a serious grin.

“Fine. Just like always.” Fili gasped annoyed, all their conversations were the same. When Fili would finally stop playing around and when he would come to work at the family company.

“So you’re not planning to drop the job?” Thorin hissed.

“Nope.” Fili admitted.

“What’s so special in painting walls?” Thorin asked like a millionth time.

“It’s not just painting walls...” Fili told him firmly.

“It’s more like fucking your boss.” Thorin noticed grimly.

“I’m not fucking my boss.” Fili grimaced.

“I know you well enough.” Thorin noticed grimly.

“It seems you barely know me at all...” Fili noticed.

“Fine. Do whatever you want.” Thorin told him grimly.

\------

“If we ever have to paint the stars again I’m going to go nuts!” Kili complained. “My neck hurts like hell!” Kili grimaced and tried to get rid of a serious neck ache.

“Michelangelo spent nearly a year under the ceiling of the chapel, he would even piss and sleep over there...” Fili told him with a gentle smile.

“Fucking fantastic!” Kili complained.

“Let me...” Fili gently moved Kili’s long brown hair, and began massaging his shoulders.

“You’re a lifesaver...” Kili smiled feeling the strong fingers gently take the pain away. He loved the feel of those strong hands on his shoulders and neck.

“Nah... But you must admit this one was probably our best starry sky.” Fili noticed gently gazing at the luminescent design on the dark blue ceiling. His hands were still gently touching Kili’s neck and back, thrilled he had an excuse to touch the brunet. He just wanted to touch him so badly, ever since he saw him all smeared in paint in Mrs. Bevel’s lessons on landscape painting. The brunet at art school was considered a huge talent, but to everyone’s surprise instead of going into professional painting and exhibitions, he went into painting people’s houses.

“You know I wouldn’t have managed without you...” Kili gasped with delight feeling the pain slowly subside as those strong fingers continued to massage his neck pain away.

“I’d be jobless without you...” Fili noticed with a smirk. He never told anyone he was related to a billionaire and in fact would never need to work. Going to art school in New York, as far away as possible from his posh private high school, meant he was free from the people who knew him in the past, and from people who just wanted to know him for his uncle’s bank account.

“Nah, you’re actually talented...” Kili told him. “You could paint professionally, you could have a real exhibition, you could become famous...” He told him in a dreamy tone.

“You mean you could do that?” Fili asked with a smile gently inhaling the brunet’s smell. He could only dream of resting his head into the brunet’s long wavy hair and breath it deeply.

“Nah, I was just average.” Kili gasped fully convinced with what he was saying.

“You’re joking?” Fili gently asked and forced Kili to turn around. “You do believe that? You honestly believe that?” He gazed at the brunet’s huge shocked eyes.

“I’m just average.” Kili repeated with conviction, he was surprised with the way the deep blue eyes were gazing at him. As if he said the worst news of the year. “It doesn’t really matter...” Kili looked down. “All those who had talent got offers and stuff, or at least scholarships to continue...”

“No one contacted you?” Fili was truly surprised, and he watched surprised as the brunet shook his head.

“Nope. I really wasn’t that good... And this gives me a living.” Kili told him gently. “It doesn’t matter if I was talented or not...”

“I’m glad you gave me this job.” Fili told him with a smile and he gently brushed his hair away from his face.

“You were actually good. I’m surprised you decided to take it... with the perspectives you had.” Kili told him slowly.

“I just needed to find my own way... If you get what I mean.” Fili told him slowly. “Pizza to celebrate?” He suggested gently feeling fluttering in his chest.

“That would be great...” Kili nodded quickly and got up to get their stuff together.

At first they had no idea how to talk when not working and not talking about the current design. But the pizza was good and beer was even better at getting them to open up a bit.

“Do you remember that girl two years higher than us?” Kili asked him.

“That blond... what was her name?” Fili tried to remember. “Eowyn?” He finally asked.

“Yeah her, she got a contract and now she’s designing some book covers...” Kili spoke in a gentle tone. “They are actually pretty good...” Kili added in a dreamy tone.

“Why didn’t you go into stuff like that?” Fili asked yet again.

“No chance...” Kili just shook his head. “There was no such option... I’m just average.”

“You’re not average.” Fili told him in a gentle tone. “You’re much more talented than that Eowyn and most people we met at collage...”

“If so, why no one contacted me?” Kili told him. “No one considered me for anything, so I guess you’re just trying to sweeten me up for a pay rise!” He tried to joke lightly, but Fili could easily see the sadness in his eyes.

“Nah I’m not...” Fili smiled at him, still puzzled why the most talented person he ever met though as himself to be average. He called the waiter to get another round of beers. “I’m doing fine.”

“I’m still wondering how you even manage with the money I manage to pay you...” Kili gazed at him warily. “Shit I barely manage with what is left after taxes and fees.”

“I do extra things from time to time, my photography is still okay and they always need people to take photos of models.” Fili lied easily, not wanting to burden Kili with his financial reality.

“Good, so when I go bankrupt I’ll start carrying your equipment around and cleaning up.” Kili smiled at him carefree, with such cute wide eyes Fili could barely take sitting there and not kissing him.

“You helped me, so I’ll help you.” Fili gently told him with a smile.

“I never thought I’d have my own business, and I never thought managing taxes was so difficult.” Kili smiled shyly clearly embarrassed.

“I could help you with that.” Fili told him gently. “I know a bit from my uncle.”

“You could?” Kili smiled at him happily clearly relieved. “I’m pretty hopeless with that kind of stuff.”

Fili handed him another beer. “So maybe we could sit down to paperwork tomorrow? I’ve got some free time.”

“I really wouldn’t want to trouble you.” Kili suddenly told him feeling he was overstepping the strange relation they had. He desperately wanted to be close to the handsome blood, but he didn’t want to seem desperate and overbearing.

“It’s no trouble really. What are friends for?” Fili told him with a smile.

Kili smiled hearing Fili called him a friend, in his world friends were never around and never helped without wanting something in return. He had less than a few friends in his life, and even so he would always try not to be burden.

They chatted along lightly late into the evening, somehow they found it surprising they had a lot in common. They admired the same painters and artists, they already found at the beginning of working together that their ideas often merged and would complement each other, but now they realised it extended to many other topics as well.

“So tomorrow?” Kili asked gently as they were slowly parting.

“Nah I’ll walk you home first. I’m not letting my boss get mugged in this neighbourhood.” Fili smiled at him and simply began walking along Kili. He was surprised Kili lived somewhere near here, the location was prime but the flats there were pretty hopeless.

“So you live nearby?” Fili asked trying not to sound intrusive.

“Yeah, it was cheap.” Kili agreed quickly. “Much cheaper than campus and dorms.”

“So I get it you had a tight budget?” Fili gently asked.

“Paints cost a lot, and well studying isn’t cheap either. I got like two scholarships, but still I had to work weekends to make ends meet.” Kili added slowly.

“So what did you do?” Fili asked curiously.

“At first I waited tables in the cafe downstairs and stuff like that, but later I got my fist job painting designs and it went well from that time. It actually brought enough money to survive.” Kili explained.

“I’m glad to hear that, painting always beats waiting tables.” Fili nodded as they entered a building, Kili quickly hopped up the stairs to the second floor and finally reached a door.

“Thanks for walking me home, but you didn’t have to.” Kili told him gently slightly shy they were right in front of the place where he lived. He bit down on his lower lip, gazing at the handsome blond in the dim light.

“I wanted to.” Fili told him gently, he gently leaned forward standing just a step away. He gazed at the brunet seeking any sign of shock, resentment or attention. He noticed his eyes opened in awe, his shallow breath. Somehow he had a feeling it was now or never.

As their lips finally sealed Kili felt weak to his knees, the tender kiss leaving him breathless and insatiate. He always dreamt of this, ever since he saw the blond the first year. As the blond was painting he was so beautiful and so alluring. He had to wait nearly three years for this, and he wasn’t planning to let go now. Feeling the comfort and warmth coming from the embrace, he felt comfortable. First time in his life he didn’t feel panic about being close with someone, Fili felt so warm and so comfortable. He firmly wrapped his arms around him and deepened the kiss, in a quick move he opened the door and pulled the blond inside.

The reaction Fili got way beyond what he expected. He though he’d get a single kiss, but he got a volcano instead. The brunet was reacting in a way no one ever reacted to him, so vigorously and so eagerly it made Fili’s heart melt. He wanted just a kiss, but he got so much more, when Kili wrapped his leg around his hips when he traced his hair and when he ground against him, Fili could only feel happy. He never had sex on a first date, and to be frank their dinner together wasn’t really a date, but as the brunet was pulling him firmly towards the bed he could only comply.

From day one he wanted him, and to have him under him, to be in him was heaven. Fili’s crush on the brunet, despite being his deepest hidden secret, was blooming in his heart any time he saw him paint. When they started working together it was even deeper, he could see him every day, talk to him. But now touching each other, savouring each other’s bodies and discovering that the brunet shared his passion was breathtaking. The way he arched against him as the blond was taking from behind. As he firmly ground against him the brunet was making the most delightful sounds and it was just heaven. As they rested finally and their breathes returned to normal Fili could only snuggle into the warm embrace and finally go to sleep.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Kili awoke suddenly feeling a million kisses on his skin. On his naked skin. He never slept naked, expect when... Panic kicked in, and in a swift motion he jumped out of bed, just to stare into two deep blue shocked eyes.

“I’m sorry if I startled you.” The blond smiled at him gently. Kili tried to breath in, it was Fili. Fili his crush, Fili his co-worker, and as the events of the previous night were coming back to his mind, Fili his lover. He finally managed to get his heart rate back to normal, and he gently snuck back into bed.

“Sorry, I’m not used to having anyone over...” Kili tried to apologize.

“And I’m not used to waking people up with kisses, you can say I’m out of practice.” Fili joked as Kili snuggled back into his arms.

Fili gently traced the brunet’s body still thinking about the odd reaction, but his hand stopped feeling something strange on his skin. He noticed Kili go stiff as a wooden plank, and he saw panic in his eyes as he finally realised what he was touching. It was a scar, and right next to it was another scar, and another... He noticed the tears in the boy’s eyes, as if he just uncovered the biggest secret in the world.

“Let me see...” He gently whispered. But the boy just shook his head and began crying, the sight nearly breaking Fili’s heart. He never wanted to see him cry... his Kili should always be happy and cheerful, and it seemed he had more reasons to worry about than only his financial situation. He gently sat up and forced Kili to lay on his stomach, desperate to stop the sobs shaking the thin body.

His heart nearly stopped seeing why the boy reacted in such a way. His back... wasn’t pretty. There were several long thin scars, and several wide short ones. If anyone could take a guess his back looked as if someone had wiped him. Repeatedly, over a longer period of time. The idea that someone would hurt someone so dear to him nearly stopped his heart. No wonder the boy was shy, no wonder he wanted to make love in the dark. No wonder he was so scared of rejection. Fili gently traced his lips over the longest scar, making the sobs stop and instead causing the thin body to tremble. He traced every scar with his lips and tongue gently sending a signal he did not mind the state of the boy’s back.

“Don’t you ever cry about it again...” Fili whispered to him. “And don’t be ashamed in front of me, you’re perfect as you are....” He whispered and continued to kiss Kili’s back trying to show him how much he wanted him all the same, gently grinding against his ass in a sensual delicate touch.

“It’s just so ugly...” Kili gasped with terror. “It looks so horrible...”

“I’m more worried about how it must have hurt... If I could get my hands on the person who did it, I would skin him alive...” Fili gasped into Kili’s ear taking in the scent of his hair.

Using his whole body he tried to show just much it didn’t bother him, how much it didn’t change his lust for the slim brunet. And as the brunet flipped and wrapped his legs around his hips just to bring him closer, the blond could only smile. He loved looking into those deep brown eyes, he loved the way those eyes widened as he was slowly fucking him. He loved the blush on his cheek and the tangled curly hair all around his head on the pillow.

“You’re simply beautiful!” He told him and sealed their lips in the gentle kiss. He kissed off the trace of tears from his face and ground against him with lust.

“Come for me Sugar...” He gently reached and touched him making the brunet arch against him even more. “Show me just how beautiful you can be covered in your own cum...” He continued kissing and gazing into those gorgeous eyes.

“I’d rather be covered in your cum...” Kili smiled at him radiantly.

Fili gently pulled out and with a huge smile he pressed their erections together and in a few swift moves he gasped feeling his own completion coming. He leaned down to kiss the brunet and he felt his world explode, as he spilt his seed all over his lover. Then he just gazed down at the brunet, at his beautiful dark chest hairs covered in a sea of cum, he quickly realised they came together.

“You’re simply amazing!” He gasped and kissed Kili deeply again.

“And I’m very dirty!” Kili complained.

Fili just smirked widely and lay on him. “Now we’re both dirty... I hope you have a bathroom here and some soap...” He murmured.

“Of course I do! Just because this is a bad neighbourhood it doesn’t mean I live in a dump!” The brunet laughed.

Kili motioned him to get up, and pulled out two clean towels from a closet. “Come on!” He smiled radiantly.

Fili finally had a moment to gaze around the flat, and he realised Kili was right. Just because it was a bad neighbourhood it didn’t mean his flat was a dump. It had great light, huge windows clearly from the south. There were two brick walls, well kept and clean, and another wall painted in birds imitating a garden. On the left there was a open space kitchen, with a bar, and in the middle of the room there were canvas and paintings. The bed was comfortably placed in an alcove slightly hidden from the main room. It was a studio flat, but spacious enough and comfortable enough.

“Are you coming? You can admire the view at breakfast!” Kili yelled at him.

“Maybe I just like to be covered in our cum...” Fili laughed gently as he followed into the classic white bathroom. Everything was white there, apart from one brick wall. “Did you decorate the place yourself?”

“A slow and painful and costly process.” The brunet laughed. “But yeah, I had some help with things like plumbing and electricity.” He reached his hand to invite the blond under the shower.

“Why would you go so far to renovate a rented space?” Fili suddenly asked.

“Who said it’s rented?” Kili asked with a smirk. “I spent my grant on it, I just had to have a place of my own.”

“So you spent your grant on a flat and waited tables to pay the collage fee?” Fili was bewildered with the twisted logic.

“I just had to have a home.” Kili gently told him feeling unsure why the blond was so surprised.

“Well it is surprisingly nice.” Fili smiled at him. “And the location is great!” He gently embraced the brunet. “Since we work together and now we’re sleeping together I might as well just move in!” He added callously. The reaction he saw on Kili’s face startled him, his eyes went wide and shining and a bright smile appeared on his face. What was meant to just be a joke, was accepted like a proposition Fili quickly realised.

“But you’ll have to do the paper work for the company, do the shopping and cooking.” Kili quickly made him realise. “I’m hopeless at those three things...” He added meekly seeing huge blue surprised eyes.

“So that’s good I know stuff about running a company and I’m pretty good at cooking!” Fili laughed happily feeling as if his life did a turn and directly brought him to paradise. “All thanks to my uncle, so you’ll have to thank him one day...”

“I’m planning to run a trial period before jumping to conclusions and meeting your family!” Kili laughed and kissed him boldly.

“Any last words before we seal the deal?” Fili hissed as he lifted the brunet and pushed him into the wall.

“What took you so long?” Kili gasped feeling strong hands touch him sensually.

“I was waiting for you...” Fili sealed their lips and ground against him.

\------

The door bell rang some time after noon startling both of them. Fortunately they were both dressed, goofing around with paints and canvas. Both covered in paint, smiling and happy. Radiantly happy.

“Hey!” Kili opened the door to let Nori and Ori come in.

“We brought some lunch!” Nori smiled and carried in a bag with food.

“Who the fuck is this?” Nori hissed seeing the blond in the main room sitting at the canvas.

“Fili, meet my foster brothers Nori and Ori.” Kili quickly introduced them.

“Fili?” Nori smirked. “And who the fuck is he?”

“My boyfriend.” Kili quickly told them nearly chocking on the line.

“What?” Nori gazed at the blond menacingly. “So he’s a freeloader?”

“Nori learn some tact for Mahal’s sake!” Ori hissed at his rude brother.

“He’s working with me.” Kili told them, but his form was screaming hesitation. Fili did the only thing he could he walked up and in a firm manner wrapped his arms around him giving him something to lean on, and Kili immediately accepted the comfort.

“He can touch you?” Nori’s eyes went wide with amazement.

“What’s so surprising about that?” Fili noticed surprised.

“Nothing.” Ori gently smiled and kicked Nori. “We’ve got some homemade pasta with green pesto.” He put the food on the bar and began pulling out plates.

“Bilbo’s feeling bored again?” Kili noticed.

“He’s got a writer’s block again.” Ori nodded. “Anyway that way he makes the best food.”

“What does he write?” Fili asked curiously.

“Novels.” Nori replied as curtly as possible.

“Damn this food is great!” Fili noticed with a happy smile.

“You said you can cook.” Kili noticed and nudged him.

“I can, I’m pretty good, but this is professional level.” Fili admitted. “Actually my cousin can cook even better.”

“That’s a dare?” Nori hissed.

“We could set them up.” Fili quickly agreed. “Bombur loves a challenge and competition. He actually wanted to open a restaurant, but he had some trouble in finding a good location.”

“Sounds dull.” Nori hissed.

“You’re just jealous!” Ori noticed with a smile.

“So what do you two do?” Fili asked curiously.

“He’s a fulltime ranging bitch.” Kili laughed. “He was the one who helped me out with plumbing and electricity.”

“A handyman?” Fili asked.

“Among many other things.” Kili informed him in a light tone. They were eating but they were still connected holding each other’s hands. “Ori is a student of literature and history.”

“I’m the egg head.” Ori laughed gently. “We also have an older brother Dori, he’s managing the cafe downstairs.”

“Oh that one.” Fili smiled.

After nearly an hour of chatting and snapping from Nori’s side, the two brothers decided to leave.

“So when can I get my stuff?” Fili pulled Kili into his lap.

“Do you need to get them today?” Kili asked sadly.

“Nope!” Fili lifted himself and kissed him. “But tomorrow I’m getting a taxi, and coming with my car packed with trash.”

“Good that most of my closet is empty.” Kili smiled. “And I do have a second parking space I’m not using.”

“You have a parking space?” Fili asked.

“In this neighbourhood?” Kili smiled. “I’ve got a locked gate and a garage.”

“Cool!” Fili smiled happily. “So tell me about the cafe their brother is managing?”

“It’s a family business. Bilbo started it years ago, and now that he changed his career Dori took over.” Kili explained.

“And you just happened to buy a flat in the same building?” Fili noticed.

“Sentimental reasons.” Kili noticed. “And great light for painting.”

“I actually like it here.” Fili told him gently. “But let’s be honest I’d like any dump as long as you are with me.”

“So my place is a dump after all?” Kili hissed with a smirk.

“You’ve got the best junk in town...” Fili kissed him and groped his ass sensually.

“It’s your junk now...” Kili teased him with a provocative move.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Sunday turned out to be very busy, first thing in the morning Fili got up and took a taxi to his place. Kili proposed to help out, but Fili told him to get the paperwork ready and to make some space for his things. He came back two hours later in his car. Not his posh sports car which was still in California, but his classic BMW he bought for driving around New York. When he arrived at the gate he had to wait several minutes for Kili to come down and open it. Fili was amazed with the large yard in the middle of the building, Kili led him towards the garage.

“There is quite a lot of space here.” Fili gazed around the garage and the yard.

“There is a second staircase this way, tomorrow I’ll go to town and get you a copy of the keys.” Kili told him with a smile.

“So how many people live here at the moment?” Fili asked looking up the three storey building.

“The ground floor it’s the cafe and lots of empty space, the first floor there are four flats, and the second it’s again four flats.” Kili explained.

“I asked, how many people live here?” Fili asked again.

“Two?” Kili asked with a huge question in his eyes.

“Two flats are taken?” Fili asked dumb folded with the idea.

“Nope, two people live here.” Kili clarified.

“Apart from us only two people live here?” Fili was surprised.

“Including us.” Kili shrugged his shoulders.

“No neighbours?” Fili was clearly very surprised.

“Nope!” Kili grabbed one of the bags.

“So what about the rest of the building?” Fili was clearly very surprised.

“Three of the flats are for sale.” Kili told him. “The ground floor belongs to Bilbo, yard included. I have the whole second floor now.”

“So this is where you spend all your money?” Fili asked with a smile.

“Pretty much yes.” Kili shrugged again.

“No wonder you’re having financial trouble.” Fili noticed. “So why aren’t you using the other flats?”

“I’ll show you around when you unpack.” Kili gasped desperately.

“You know it’s pretty crazy and fucked up to try to get this place inhabitable?” Fili noticed.

“I just like it here.” Kili told him. “I’m pretty fucked up if you haven’t noticed.”

“I have.” Fili told him gently. “But it’s not like I’m normal as well, and it’s not like I mind.”

Kili helped him pack all the clothes into the wardrobe and Fili just put the other stuff in random places. “We’ll work it out later.”

“Are you ready for the grand tour?” Kili asked with a smile and pulled out a big ring of keys.

“Bottom to top, or top to bottom?” He asked gazing at his boyfriend.

“Top!” Fili smiled.

“Follow me!” Kili in swift moves walked up the stairs.

“So why are all the flats vacant?” Fili asked.

“Well two of them are technically not vacant, the owners are in hospital or in old people’s home. I’m gathering cash to buy them out.” Kili explained. “We already signed an agreement. And the third well doesn’t really want to talk about selling, he still hopes to come back. The fourth on the first floor belongs to Bilbo’s old friend who is currently teaching at a University in China.”

“So you’re planning to buy out the whole building?” Fili was surprised. “Isn’t that a bit too farfetched just to secure yourself a home?”

“It’s just... I’ve always felt I belong here.” Kili told him slowly. “Come take a look why...” Kili opened the door to the roof and led Fili onto a large roof garden.

“The view is just amazing.” Fili stood at the top and gazed around.

“Bilbo started this garden years ago, but I’ve been taking care of it.” Kili told him slowly. “It’s better than anything in the world.”

Fili reached out his hands towards him and Kili immediately rushed into his embrace. “Somehow I understand. Isn’t that Greenwich?” He pointed towards the nearby area.

“In fact this is still Greenwich, but the worst part of it.” Kili told him. “So it wasn’t that expensive, but the area is becoming more expensive with every year.” He added in a low voice. Fili wanted to scream out that Kili should not worry about things like that anymore, but those words did not leave his mouth.

“So what’s the plan? Surely you must have a plan for such a huge building.” Fili told him.

“Before Bilbo was planning to expand the cafe into a restaurant, but he changed his mind. I just started buying out, I renovated my flat, and I’ve been planning to renovate the whole second floor later on when I finish buying out the first floor.” Kili explained.

“But what for?” Fili asked gently.

“To feel safe.” Kili told him gently, he felt Fili kiss him gently. “Come on!” He pulled him back towards the door.

“So three more on the same floor?” Fili asked as Kili opened the first door.

“I actually started renovating this one in my free time.” Kili let him in the flat directly next to his main flat. “I was thinking of making two more bathrooms here and three bedrooms and later connect them with my flat.”

“That’s actually a very cool idea.” Fili smiled and reached for his hand. “So what about the other two?”

“They are in worst state...” Kili showed him in. “The previous owners left a lot of random stuff, and I’ve been moving stuff from my main flat and the second one in here.”

“The furniture doesn’t look that bad but it needs some renovation.” Fili took a look around.

“Another thing on the to-do list.” Kili gasped. “And to-pay-a-fortune list.”

“I could help you with that when we’re off jobs, my uncle taught me some stuff about carpentry, he treats it like a relaxation exercise.” Fili told him slowly and the huge smile he got as an answer was breathtaking.

“So what about the yard?” Fili asked.

“What about it?” Kili asked.

“So we pretty much have the place to ourselves?” Fili asked with a spark in his eyes.

“Pretty much yes...” Kili replied unsure.

“Great... I’ve always wanted to have sex in a dark allay way, and this will do....” Fili smiled at him and pulled him into one of the darker corners of the yard.

“No one can see us here anyway...” Kili noticed.

“Don’t spoil the fun!” Fili gasped and ground against him sensually.

“I’m glad you’re crazy as well...” Kili smiled feeling his jeans slide down and a powerful nudge nearly brought him down to his knees. “And I’m glad you’re not terrified to live in this dump with me...”

“I’m taking you with all your flaws, love for old dilapidated buildings included...” Fili gently whispered into his ear, as Fili began fucking him wildly against the random wall.

\-----

“So till when do you have to pay rent for your old place?” Kili suddenly asked sometime as the next week was slowly ending.

“I’ve already cancelled it. I still need to pick up some stuff, but my cousin will help me with a truck.” Fili explained. “So you’d better start thinking where you want my TV to go...”

“Your TV?” Kili asked surprised.

“You buy real estate and I buy gadgets.” Fili smiled at him. “We still need to agree on rent and stuff.”

“No rent, you’re my boyfriend.” Kili told him firmly.

“If so I will pay half of all the bills.”Fili insisted.

Kili gasped irritated. “I don’t need your money.” He noticed firmly. Fili quickly learnt Kili’s independence was top priority, anything that was considered charity was bad.

“It’s not about your money, it’s about being in a fair relationship. I respect you, and I will not be a freeloader.” Fili told him.

“You don’t have to!” Kili insisted.

“But I do!” Fili gently kissed him.

“You’re doing all the shopping already...” Kili hissed.

“So that’s my rent...” Fili smiled and kissed him deeply. “You have to learn two things about me, I’m stubborn as a mule... And I believe in honesty.”

“You’re too much...” Kili kissed him and pulled him closer.

\-----

“So where did you two meet?” Bilbo gently asked as they arrived for dinner a few weeks after they began living together. After Nori’s first few interrogations now Fili had to face another much more polite but much more firm interrogation.

“At collage.” Kili replied swiftly.

“We took some classes together, and then we started working together.” Fili explained.

“And now you’re living together...” Nori hissed.

“The derelict building did not scare you away?” Bilbo asked in a gentle tone.

“Not at all.” Fili smiled. “It has a lot of charm.”

“And no rent...” Nori hissed.

Kili huffed at that.

“I managed to find a way to pay rent...” Fili smiled at Bilbo. “I buy food and then I cook it and feed him.”

“He does look more healthy.” Bilbo admitted. “He knows how to cook, but he just doesn’t feel like it most of the time, and if not for the food we kept dropping by he would never eat regularly.”

“So you can cook?” Fili asked Kili with a huge smile.

“I’m busted...” Kili hid his head in his arms. “I just had to find a logical reason why you had to move in, didn’t I?”

“Just saying you wanted it would work well enough.” Fili gently brushed a tress of hair from Kili’s face.

“So are you both happy?” Bilbo asked with a kind smile.

“Very.” Kili quickly replied and took Fili’s hand.

“That’s all I need to know.” Bilbo gave them his blessing.

\-----

“So tell me how did you end up living with Bilbo?” Fili asked one day as they came home from a painting job.

“It’s a really long sad and dreadful story, and I’m not sure you should hear it.” Kili told him in a shaking voice.

“Why not?” Fili asked.

“I just... I don’t want you to change your mind about me... I don’t want any pity...” Kili explained.

“Kili, if you haven’t noticed I’m ready to take you as you are. I have tones of ideas in my head about the scars and about everything, so I’d rather know.” Fili told him. “I told you I believe in honesty, and the same if you ask me anything I will answer truthfully.”

“Fine a question for a question.” Kili finally decided. “You start.”

“The question still stands, how did you end up living with Bilbo?” Fili asked patiently again.

“I was taken into the orphanage at the age of five, then I was at two different foster homes, and finally Bilbo decided to take me in for good.” Kili slowly told him, but feeling Fili’s hard glare he decided to continue. “My first foster home was fine, I stayed there for three years, but my foster mother got cancer and she couldn’t take care of me anymore, so I landed back into the system. My second foster home was pretty bad, so I was there only a few months, and I was taken back to the orphanage. Bilbo took me in when I was almost fourteen.”

“Define bad?” Fili asked in a low voice.

“The scars... I remember feeling hungry all the time, they would yell at me, hit me... And much worse...” Kili gasped it was really difficult to talk about it all. Fili seeing the tears in his eyes did not insist on continuing, he pulled Kili into his lap and hugged him tightly.

“Ask your question.” Fili gently encouraged him when the crying died down a bit.

“So why is your uncle the only family you talk about? What about your parents?” Kili asked in a low voice.

“I have some more family. I’ve got two cousins, I’ve got several distant uncle’s. It’s not like we’re only the two of us. My uncle has been raising me as long as I can remember. He’s more like a father to me. He was my mother’s brother.” Fili’s voice hug low on the last time. “My parents were killed in a car crash when I was two. There was some kind of trouble on a bridge and the landed in the water and...” Fili stopped talking. “It was just me and uncle.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Kili told him slowly.

“Don’t be. We’re both orphans and we’re equal.” Fili gently kissed him. “Don’t pity me and I won’t pity you.”

“It’s the past, but I’m happy we could finally talk about it.” Kili admitted feeling the warm embrace and kisses.

“We’ll have to talk more, but we made a first step.” Fili told him gently. “Meeting my uncle might not be pleasant.”

“Why do you say so?” Kili suddenly felt worried.

“He had lots of expectations, and I failed some of them. Working with you was one of the things he didn’t like.” Fili told him slowly. “But just because he might need time to accept you, it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be with me. You’re the first person in my life who likes me for who I really am. Next to you I’m me all the time, I don’t have to pretend or act.”

“You mean it?” Kili asked gently.

“I mean it.” Fili kissed him deeply.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Over the first eight weeks they were simply getting to know each other. It was like a honeymoon, they went to work but they were inseparable.

Later Fili began talking about finishing the second flat. Kili just nodded his head and said he’d like to do that but he didn’t have the cash. That was when their first real fight happened.

“Even if you don’t have money, I’ve got some savings.” Fili told him. “If we can do it, if we have the time, we simply should.”

“But it’s like...” Kili gasped but Fili kissed him deeply.

“We live together, we work together.” Fili stopped his anguish. “Let me do this for us, I really have the money...”

“I just... I don’t want you to think I expect it from you... You’re much more important than any money in the world...” Kili gasped and hugged him.

“I think exactly the same thing. So why are we fighting about money? Money has no meaning to me, it’s just a means to an end, and the end is happiness next to you. Tell me honestly, does it matter who pays for it, as long as we get more space for the both of us?” Fili told him.

“I’ll call Nori and ask if he has time.” Kili gave up.

“And I’ll call my uncle.” Fili told him slowly. “If anyone has the skills to help us it’s him. And he won’t ask any money from us.”

“But that’s also unfair...” Kili insisted.

“Will Nori take money from you?” Fili asked, and Kili shook his head with defeat. “Let’s sit down and draw what we want.” He kissed him and pulled out a sheet and began sketching the flat.

\------

“So what are you planning?” Dwalin asked them firmly as Fili was slowly explaining what they wanted to do. Dwalin gazed at the shy brunet sitting at Fili’s side, the boy was holding his hand and clearly he felt a bit embarrassed with meeting one of Fili’s uncles.

“We want to join both flats, and create this one into a bedroom space.” Fili explained.

“What about a work place?” Dwalin asked thinking about the project drawn by Fili. “Don’t look at me like that, you’re both artists, that mean you need lots of painting space.”

“Our living room has the best light.” Kili told him shyly.

“Precisely, that means your living room should be somewhere else or you need a new work place.” Dwalin noticed.

“We have more space, but it’s a matter of how much Kili is willing to spend on this renovation.” Fili admitted.

Dwalin just raised his eyebrows but didn’t comment that surely money shouldn’t be a problem. “Fine, show me everything, and we’ll talk about the costs later.” Dwalin told them firmly.

“So the whole floor is yours?” Dwalin asked surprised.

“Yup the whole space is mine.” Kili admitted.

“More like most of the fucking building.” Fili added to Kili’s horror.

“So what doesn’t here belong to you?” Dwalin asked slowly.

“The first floor, but it’s uninhabited at the moment, and Kili is getting ready to buy out three of the flats there as well. It’s just a matter of time.” Fili explained.

“I see.” Dwalin gazed at Fili slowly. “You want my honest opinion?” He asked.

“Do the whole floor into one big flat. Keep your living room and kitchen as the main living area, but turn the flat on the left into a workplace and the flat to the right into a bedroom private space. The third flat, could also be turned into rooms, more like an office sort of thing.” Dwalin told them.

“But that will cost too much...” Kili gasped terrified.

“I’ll get working on the numbers and text you.” Dwalin told them with a smile. “Can I take the sketch and project?”

“You may.” Fili quickly agreed.

“Did you have an inspection of the roof, heating, electrical and water installations?” Dwalin asked.

“Gas installation as well.” Kili quickly told him. “The roof and heating were the two first things I had to fix.”

“Did you think about isolating the building later?” Dwalin asked slowly.

“I did, but because this is old, I can’t do much to the outside.” Kili admitted. “Conservation rules for the district.”

“We’ll find a way to work around that.” Dwalin winked at him. “Leave it all to me.” He smiled and left them, Kili in state of panic and Fili with a wide smile.

\-----

“You can’t honestly let him pay for the renovation!” Nori berated Kili on the phone. “That’s a huge tie, and knowing you you’ll insist on giving him an ownership title and you’ll get stuck with him till the rest of your life! I though you wanted to live alone?”

Kili just gasped and didn’t answer. Finally he decided to ask. “Will you help out? Or did you get a job?”

“When is it starting?” Nori asked clearly very irritated.

“On Saturday.” Kili told him. “Fili’s uncle said he’ll start brining over equipment and materials on Saturday.”

“Fine I’ll be there first thing in the morning.” Nori gasped clearly annoyed.

Kili hung up the phone call feeling uneasy. Fili did not tell him how much the renovation would cost, but he just said he had enough money. Little did he know that Fili had already contacted Bilbo to act as a go between himself and the owners of the last four flats on the first floor. Bilbo just smiled hearing how the blond was worried someone might buyout the flats before Kili gets the money, and told him he’ll contact them and take the first steps to secure the deal for them.

“Are you really sure we can afford it?” Kili asked as Fili was finishing the company documents.

“Relax Darling.” Fili hugged him. “I have enough to do the renovation, so please stop worrying.” Fili kissed him. “We’re going to have the most beautiful flat in the whole of Greenwich...”

“And we’ll forever be in dept...” Kili gasped.

“That’s the idea... You’ll be in my dept and you’ll never leave me...” Fili noticed with a huge smile.

“Leave you?” Kili’s eyes went wide. “You’re the best thing that happened to me in my life... I’ll never leave you.”

“That’s great, so that means we’ll be together forever and you can stop fussing about money...” Fili kissed his nose and watched with amusement the huge wide surprised brown eyes.

“I love you...” The barely audible whispered made Fili’s heart jump.

“That’s great news Darling... Because I really love you...” Fili kissed him and wrapped his arms around his beloved boyfriend, the paperwork and everything long forgotten.

\------

“So what are you planning to do?” Nori asked Kili on Saturday morning.

“I have no idea... I lost control over it.” Kili admitted.

“Fine... I’ll take control just for you.” Nori assured him lightly. “Where is your boyfriend?”

“He went to open the gate, they will unload the cargo in the yard.” Kili told him. “They should be here soon.”

“They?” Nori asked slowly.

“His uncle and two distant cousins.” Kili added.

“Just fucking great...” Nori hissed.

They went downstairs and Fili introduced them to Bofur and Bifur, and Nori to Dwalin.

“So what’s the plan?” Nori asked the tall bald man.

“We’ve got lots of plans, first we’re clearing out those two trashed flats.” Dwalin told him.

“Those two?” Nori gazed at Kili warily. The renovation sounded much bigger than planned.

“We’re doing the whole floor.” Dwalin told them firmly. “And you two should move out for the worst part.” He gazed at Fili and Kili.

“We’re not going anywhere.” Kili gasped and trembled.

“Fili’s old place is still empty. You could move to Thorin’s house as well. Not to mention Gimli and Dain can give you a room at their place.” Bofur quickly counted.

“We’re staying.” Fili took Kili’s hand and made the call.

“Fine, but expect tones of dust everywhere.” Bofur hissed.

“So what are we doing after we clear out the two flats?” Nori asked.

“We turning the whole place upside down.” Bofur smiled.

Bifur made a strange hand sign causing Fili to laugh.

“He’s a mute?” Kili gasped.

“Yup!” Fili replied and using sign language replied to Bifur.

“So what did he say?” Kili asked.

“You don’t want to know...” Bofur laughed. “Anyway, are you two princes moving your asses or standing by as the real men do the work?”

“Lead the way!” Dwalin told them.

“So what are your plans with all this stuff?” Bofur asked seeing the cluttered flat.

“I want to keep the books and furniture. The rest needs sorting out, old interesting things stay while trash goes to the trash.” Kili told them feeling a bit more confident.

“I’ll get some boxes and garbage bags.” Nori ran down the stairs.

“Where will he get those from?” Dwalin asked surprised.

“Probably the cafe, they have loads of stuff like that down there. We can move everything we are keeping to the two empty rooms on the ground floor later.” Kili told them.

“Do you own those as well?” Bofur asked lightly.

“His father does.” Fili added.

“Oh cool, so no one will mind if we take the yard?” Dwalin wanted to make sure.

“Nah, they don’t use it anyway. Sometimes only delivery drives in.” Fili told them.

“What did you find Bifur?” Bofur asked curiously as his brother began digging in the stuff around them.

“What a nice desk!” Bofur quickly agreed with the mute.

“Some of the furniture is really nice.” Fili told them. “I was planning to sit down and renovate it later.”

“You should ask Thorin, he loves that kind of stuff.” Dwalin told them. “When he comes back from China of course...”

“China?” Kili gasped.

“He’s on business now.” Fili clarified.

“So you haven’t met Thorin yet?” Bofur gasped surprised and gazed at Kili. “You’re in for it kid...” He gasped and began pushing away some old suitcases. “I have an idea. Kili you stand at the doorway here.” He guided him. “Your job is to say what stays and what goes. If it goes we bag it and throw out, if it stays we box it or carry it downstairs.”

“Sounds logical.” Kili admitted, and so they began. After a billion random things ranging from old carpets, to old curtains, to old books, to old clothes... Kili kept saying yes or no and everyone was doing as instructed.

Fili protested only once seeing an old mirror with a wooden frame, and Kili quickly agreed to keeping it. Lots of things were thrown away, but the two rooms downstairs were filled up quickly.

“Put the rest in the corridor on the first floor.” Kili made the call. “No one lives there anyway.” He shrugged his shoulders.

It took nearly a whole day to get the two flats empty, everyone was covered in dust and dirt. Twenty seven bags with trash were packed and the whole first floor corridor was stuffed with things, the same as the rooms on the ground floor.

“I’ll get rid of the trash on Monday. Tomorrow we’re sitting down and finishing the project, so we’re all meeting here at eleven.” Dwalin made the call.

“Bombur is going to drop by and cook lunch.” Bofur told them. “Gimli and Dain said they might drop by tomorrow as well.”

“So the family is stepping up to the challenge?” Fili asked.

“You know how our family works, the more the merrier.” Bofur laughed.

“We’ll invite Kili’s family to join in then.” Fili added. “Tell Bombur he’s feeding twenty people.”

“At least twenty!” Dwalin laughed.

“He’s always ready!” Bofur smiled. “You don’t mind if he uses your kitchen?”

“Nope!” Kili quickly agreed.

“We’ll see you all tomorrow!” Bofur waved the goodbye as they made their way down to the truck.

“I’ll tell everyone to come over!” Nori told them with a smirk. “I wonder how this will all end...” He added and bid them goodbye.

“A shower?” Kili asked feeling dead tired.

“A long shower.” Fili pulled him towards the bathroom. “We both need to soak the dust away...”

 


	5. Chapter 5

At around ten Bilbo arrived with the three brothers and his youngest son Frodo. They were shocked with the scale of the renovation and clean out, but Bilbo just smiled at Fili and forced Dori to stop fussing.

When Bofur, Bifur and Dwalin arrived followed closely by Bombur and his wife. Kili was a bit shocked with the number of people around, but when Dain and Gimli arrived, poor Kili felt a bit panicky with the number of strangers poking around his house.

Fili firmly grabbed his hand and as Dwalin was talking over the project he forced Kili to say his mind.

“So we’ll make two bedrooms in that part, each with a spacious wardrobe and bathroom. This will remain the living room and kitchen, but the flat on the right will become the painting studio.” Dwalin pointed towards the plan. “The third flat on the right will be turned into four rooms, with two bathrooms.”

“It looks nice!” Bilbo quickly noticed. “Did you get an architect to design it?” He asked surprised.

“He’s the architect!” Bofur laughed.

“No he’s not!” Dain sniggered. “He dropped out after two years to join the navy!”

“Let’s say he’s the closest thing we have to an architect in the boring family full of lawyers and businessmen.” Mathilda Bombur’s wife added with a smile.

“How much is all this going to cost?” Dori suddenly asked, but the surprised glare he got from Fili’s family made him realise he must have said something funny.

“Like that shit matters!” Bofur laughed and soon everyone joined in.

“Let’s get going!” Dwalin told them. “We need to measure the whole place, check the pipes and electricity. You two should sit down online and start looking for bathroom tiles and stuff like that.” He pointed towards Kili and Fili.

“I’m beginning work on lunch!” Bombur smiled and rushed to the kitchen followed by Bilbo, Frodo and Mathilda. Bombur and Bilbo got along like wildfire, talking about cooking, baking and everything in between. Soon Bombur began telling the story of his career and how he wanted to open a big restaurant in the area.

Kili was delighted to sit down with Fili and have some time with him without everyone hovering above them. Soon the realised their artistic taste made the choice really easy. Kili decided both of the bathrooms will be dominantly white, but Fili pushed him to keep at least one wall in every room bricks. So they settled on making everything white and adding crazy decorative tiles with visions of New York. Kili quickly drew the design, and Fili wrote the list and product numbers. Later they chose a nice jacuzzi for their main bathroom, and other useful things.

So when Dwalin marched back in and he got the list with the drawings his eyebrows just rose.

“Did you take interior design?” He asked amazed.

“Two semesters.” Kili admitted with a shy smile.

“Seems I’ll be doing the architecture and you the interior for all the family from now on...” Dwalin joked lightly. “I’ll calculate how much we need and send the order tomorrow.”

“Wow the bathrooms are going to look great if you manage to make something like this...” Bofur looked the drawings with amazement. “At least one part of the family seems to have some talent, although I’m still puzzled where you got that from.” He patted Fili on the back.

Bifur signed something to them and his family gaze at him.

“Bifur asks what you’re going to do with the corridor.” Bofur translated. “Since we’re joining all the flats into one it might actually make sense to integrate the corridor into the flat.”

“The entrance to the roof is on the south staircase.” Fili noticed. “You have the sole rights to the roof?” He asked Kili and his boyfriend immediately nodded.

“So we can cut off that staircase on the first floor and leave it as a private staircase to the roof. Integrate the whole corridor, and leave the other stairs as the main entrance.” Dwalin quickly concluded.

“We’d have to install a solid door there and preferable make a small space at the top of the stairs, but it’s not really a problem.” Bofur noticed.

“We could do bookshelves all along the remaining corridor.” Kili noticed. “I saw a design like that, but it never occurred to me we could do something like that here.”

Dwalin pulled out the design. “We’ll cut off this part of the corridor and make it a huge walk in wardrobe all the way till the end. The other way you can make your bookshelves, it’s also wide enough to put some other stuff as well like armchairs and coffee tables, then at the end we’ll cut the stairs down and leave the stairs up to the roof to your private garden.”

“This place is going to be amazing!”Gimli noticed with a smile.

“And we’re going to drop by as often as possible.” Dain sniggered with a light smile. “You have some extra rooms, would you like some flat mates?” He asked Fili and Kili with a huge smile.

“Fuck off!” Fili hissed at him. “Who would want to live with an ass like you?” He joked.

“So what else do we need to do now?” Kili asked.

“So we’re leaving these walls bricks...” Dwalin marked on the project. “But you need to make some decisions about the floor and other walls.”

“This is the original floor, we just cleaned it.” Nori noticed pointing at the beautiful wooden floor in Kili’s main room.

“Amazing result.” Bofur noticed. “I think that’s what we’re doing with the floors.”

“Agreed.” Dwalin noticed. “We’ll need to get a special machine but it’s not a huge hassle.”

“So the other walls.” Dwalin noticed.

But Fili and Kili immediately answered “White!”

“White?” Bofur looked puzzled.

“They are going to live here, so they decide.” Dwalin noticed. “So who is going to show up tomorrow for real work?” He asked the crowd.

“Me.” Nori told them firmly.

“And the three of us.” Dwalin nodded. “We should get it all done in two or three weeks.”

“If you need any furniture Darling remember that at your uncle’s house there is a basement full of good quality furniture, so I suggest you raid it.” Mathilda told them.

“That’s actually a great idea!” Bofur noticed.

“Lunch is ready!” Bilbo announced. “Sit down wherever you find space.”

“We left some chairs.” Bofur laughed and brought them in.

“Damn you’re still the best Bombur!” Gimli smiled eating the pasta.

“Bilbo helped a lot, he’s great as well.” Bombur added with a smile.

“So why haven’t you opened your own restaurant yet?” Bofur asked with a smile.

“No good locations in the area.” Bombur inhaled deeply.

“What’s bad with this location?” Dori suddenly asked.

“What do you mean?” Bombur looked surprised.

“The cafe takes up fifty meters of the ground floor, we have one hundred meters empty without a purpose and a fully equipped kitchen.” Dori told him with a smile. “We were mid way opening a restaurant when Bilbo had a change of heart.”

“A change of heart?” Bombur asked surprised.

“I got too tangled up with my first book.” Bilbo admitted shyly.

“Anyway once we finish eating I can show you around.” Dori told him. “I always have the keys with me.”

Kili looked around hesitantly but Fili pulled him into his arms. “Don’t worry if they take the space downstairs no one will move in and the building will stay yours.” He gently whispered to him.

“So all this space is just empty?” Bombur asked surprised as Dori showed them around the coffee shop and into the empty area where Bilbo had originally planned to open a restaurant.

“We were planning to use the yard in good weather.” Bilbo showed them towards the yard.

“It’s a bit smaller than I thought...” Bombur admitted. “But the location is prime!” He gasped. “I love the decor you did for the cafe.”

“All Kili hand painted.” Bilbo pointed towards the hand painted birch trees giving the cafe a light green mood.

“It depends how you want to make the deal.” Bombur asked.

“Well the idea was to make the restaurant as the extension of the cafe. We were planning to keep the cafe as the entrance, if someone is in a hurry and just wants a coffee and a muffin he can sit down here, but if he’s really hungry he can enter further into the real restaurant.” Dori explained. “Let me show you the kitchen.”

“We just use this part for the cafe, for baking.” Bilbo explained.

“It’s really a fully equipped kitchen.” Bombur gazed around. “So the question is, what is the rent?”

“We have to discuss that.” Dori gazed at Bilbo. “You have to be aware the only possible entrance is trough the cafe, so they have to be connected.”

“I believe we can reach an agreement.” Bombur nodded confidently.

“So it seems we will finally open a restaurant as well.” Nori added with a smile.

“So since this place needs much less work, we’ll be working part here and part here.” Dwalin made the call. “I need to make some more measurements.”

“Could you make a similar design as for the cafe?” Bombur asked Kili in a gentle tone. “I love your work, and since it’s going to be connected it has to be connected visually.”

“Gladly!” Kili smiled radiantly happy with the praise.

“So I’ll call our family lawyer Gloin, Gimli’s dad, to make a draft of the contract and we can start planning.” Mathilda smiled happily. “And you’re handing in your resignation as soon as possible!” She pointed her finger at Bombur.

“A dream come true!” Bombur kissed his wife tenderly.

\-----

The next days were hectic for Kili, he felt overwhelmed with the changes, and especially with the growing cost of the renovation. But Fili kept insisting this was what he wanted and that this was really not a problem for him. They spent a long time preparing their living space for the renovation, the dust of the first phase drilling into any gap in the windows or doors. The slowly drew up the rest of the flat and they had several ideas what they wanted for their bedroom. The rest would simply work out itself, that’s what Kili kept repeating.

Nori and Dwalin calmly asserted their relations as a firm male agreement, but Nori and Bofur was another story. The red head hated the brunet from the first moment. And likewise the brunet played tricks and provoked the red head. Soon Dwalin just nodded at Bifur and they left the fiery two together to fight to their heart’s delight. In between joked and taunts the two actually managed to get lots of thing done trying to prove who was better.

Kili was in the middle of painting the wall in the restaurant, trying to make it even better than the one in the cafe when someone walked in.

“The restaurant isn’t open yet!” He yelled at the potential customer.

“I’m looking for Bombur.” A deep voice replied calmly.

“He went home already, I can give you his number if it’s something urgent.” Kili got off the ladder and looked into two startling blue eyes. The way the man was looking around seemed similar, but he was confident he never saw this person. He took in the neatly trimmed beard and dark short hair. The man was startlingly handsome, not his type but seriously handsome and serious.

“Can I help you?” Kili asked feeling suddenly very intimidated and hesitant. The way the man was looking at him wasn’t nice. He felt chills go down his back.

“Are you done with that wall? We need to draw the next pattern on the second wall...” Fili walked in confidently. He stopped dead in his tracks seeing the man at the entrance.

“Uncle?” He asked in a shocked voice.

“Good to see you Fili!” The man calmly told him.

Fili walked up to the ladder and motioned Kili to come down. “Uncle this is Kili, Kili I’d like you to meet uncle Thorin.”

“Nice to finally meet you...” Thorin said in a polite line, but his eyes were ice cold.

“I’ve heard a lot about you Sir.” Kili replied politely.

“Would you like to take a look around?” Fili proposed lightly trying not to notice the stiff atmosphere.

“Sure.” Thorin replied curtly.

Fili walked him around the restaurant and cafe. Talking about the plan and what Bombur intended to do with the place. He noticed Kili was staying slightly behind and not talking part in the conversation.

“So you probably don’t have a good explanation why you moved out?” Thorin suddenly asked gazing at Kili with so much spite Kili felt like running away. Fili clenched his teeth and wanted to say something, but Thorin just had to add what he though. “Unless the notion that you’re fucking him should be a reason good enough as an explanation.”

The heartless tone, the cold in the voice struck Kili badly, and as much Fili wanted to retort, his heart sped up seeing the state Kili was in. His eyes were wide, but the glassy shine was something Fili had never seen before. He was shacking, like desperately shacking. Despite all his anger at Thorin the state Kili was in was heartbreaking.

“Kili?” He asked gently extremely worried. He reached out and held his arms open worried that if he tried to touch Kili now he would run away. Kili in a swift move ran towards him and practically hid in his embrace. Fili pulled him closer and embraced him tightly. “Are you okay?” Fili asked gently but Kili just shook his head and in a nervous motion began folding and unfolding his fists on Fili’s paint stained t-shirt.

“I believe we’re done.” Fili told Thorin as firmly as Thorin had earlier spoken to Kili. He grabbed Kili and lifted him and without another word he carried him out and towards the staircase.

“A panic attack?” Nori asked worried as he saw Fili carry Kili into their room.

“Thorin has the tact of a hippo...” Bofur hissed with spite.

“Thorin?” Nori asked.

“Fili’s uncle?” Bofur reminded him.

“What a dump...” Thorin hissed as he walked up. “What are you doing here?” He asked seeing Bofur.

“Trying to patch this place up...” Bofur hissed.

“Dwalin!” He yelled into the corridor.

“I should have known you’d show up soon!” Dwalin yelled from one of the rooms. “So did the kid show you around?”

“He kind of ran off.” Thorin hissed.

“It’s more like this dope caused my brother to get a panic attack...” Nori noticed grimly.

“Down dog, down!” Bofur laughed. “Thorin can be a bit overbearing...”

“And that boy is a psycho...” Thorin hissed.

“Take that back...” The way Nori growled at Thorin made all of them stare at him. “Don’t you ever dare talk about him like that. You have no idea about him!” Nori didn’t feel not even one bit intimidated.

“Ease down...” Dwalin gently told him. “The kid is a bit odd... but he’s not bad.”

“Just cut the crap...” Nori hissed and walked out. “You have no idea about anything...” The last glare he shot them was so menacing even Bofur and Dwalin could not retort.

 


	6. Chapter 6

“Breathe I’m here for you. Breathe in deeply.” Fili gently stroked his back and kept him tightly in his arms. “He might seem dangerous but he’s not. I won’t let anyone hurt you...” He gently whispered to him as Kili was still shacking in his arms.

“He just seemed so alike to...” Kili gasped with terror and continued shacking.

“Alike to?” Fili asked.

“Someone bad...” Kili gasped.

“You’re safe... I’m here with you... I’ll always be here with you... No matter what your family will say what my family will say!” Fili kept telling him in a gentle tone. “I love you... and no one will ever change that...”

“I love you so fucking much...” Kili began sobbing as he held on tightly.

\------

“Thorin is just like that...” Bofur found Nori in the yard and corned him in the garage. Nori was repeatedly hitting and kicking the wall.

“He gains when you know him longer... He’s very overprotective of Fili...” Bofur tried again, but he noticed Nori’s fists and the wall were slowly becoming bloody.

“And we’re overprotective of Kili...” Nori snapped at him. “He doesn’t deserve such treatment... He cannot take such treatment... So you better do something about that bastard before I really snap...”

“What do you mean he cannot take such treatment?” Bofur asked worried.

“You have no idea...” Nori gasped. “You can’t even begin to imagine what he had to go through... Fili is the first really good thing that happened in his life... If this guy ruins it... It’s as if he’d kill him...” He rested his head on the wall and wrapped his arms around himself.

Bofur stood there puzzled with the reaction, till the moment he realised Nori was crying. The spiteful, strong red head, with the grace of a Rottweiler, really cared for Kili, and he was ready to defend him at all cost. He came closer slowly.

“Then you should explain to all of us why is Kili so unstable...” Bofur gently told him. “We cannot act properly if we don’t understand, and since he’s so important to you, make us understand.”

“It’s not my story to tell.” Nori gasped in between tears. “I’ve been through hell, but what Kili had to live through was even worse...”

“Define hell...” Bofur was really worried. He never considered that Nori’s attitude was a self defence, and a result of a difficult past.

“What do you care!” Nori hissed in between sobs.

“Maybe I do care...” Bofur told him gently standing right behind him.

Nori gazed at him, but the fear mixed with anxiety Bofur saw made him gasp. He saw hostility and strength. Nori was like a huge human puzzle. Bofur acted on instinct and leaned forward a bit giving the red head time to escape. As their lips met for a single second Bofur was first in heaven but then he felt Nori push him away firmly.

“Fuck off!” Nori hissed and ran away.

\-----

Fili pulled Kili back to the work line in a firm mode. They talked and talked and Fili made Kili feel safe enough to gaze outside of their flat. He pulled him out towards Dwalin and Thorin who were checking out the furniture stored in the corridor of the first floor.

“You’ve got some nice stuff here...” Thorin told them in a slightly less menacing tone.

“I was planning to get some of it fixed.” Fili admitted, he held Kili’s hand tightly.

“That desk is actually pretty interesting.” Thorin pointed towards the desk Bifur found. “If you need some help I could use a few days away from the office.” Thorin told them slowly. He gazed at the shacking slim boy holding onto Fili. “So are you always this fearful?” He asked gently.

“Not always, but somehow you managed to scare him.” Fili told him. “Be more gentle, and keep your venom to yourself.”

“Or?” Thorin caught the threat.

“Or you can fuck off.” Fili gasped.

“And how will you manage to get this place fixed up without my bank account?” Thorin hissed.

“I barely touched your bank account for almost three years...” Fili noticed grimly.

“I noticed.” Thorin hissed. “But the scale of what needs to be done here... even if you manage do most of the work yourself... You need something like a half a million?”

“Half a million?” Kili’s voice broke the dead silence.

“At least.” Thorin added.

“And now you’re pretending that makes any difference...” Dwalin hissed.

“Not that it does. I’m just stating a fact.” Thorin shrugged his shoulders.

“Fine... I don’t really care.” Fili shrugged. “I still got the trust fund.”

“Indeed you do.” Thorin gasped annoyed. “Too bad I can’t blackmail you into dropping this whole pile of bricks...”

“If you do that you’ll get Mathilda and Bombur on your head...” Dwalin noticed. “Not to mention Nain, Gina and the whole family.”

“Not to mention you’ll be stuck all alone in that fucking dungeon of yours...” Dwalin noticed with a smirk.

“Just fucking great...” Thorin hissed. “So you’re serious about this scardy cat?”

“Dead serious.” Fili confirmed.

“And there is nothing I can say or do to make you change your mind?” Thorin wanted to make sure.

“You can fucking stop asking stupid questions.” Fili hissed. “I’m here to stay.”

“Fine.” Thorin gasped with defeat. “You’re not half-assing this if my nephew is going to live in this dump, you’re making this dump less dumpy.”

“Does that mean bill you?” Dwalin smiled widely.

“Bill me.” Thorin agreed.

“I can handle it.” Fili noticed.

“You’re not touching the trust fund.” Thorin noticed. “You’d have to have mine and Balin’s consent.”

“I have savings.” Fili noticed.

“You’re the only person in the world who would refuse an offer like that... That’s why we all love you so much!” Dwalin noticed and hugged Fili.

“I don’t want you to pay for this renovation.” Kili’s voice suddenly startled them.

“Don’t worry he’s used to paying for everything...” Dwalin told the boy.

“I hate charity.” Kili replied firmly.

“It’s not charity.” Thorin assured him. “I’m buying some peace and quiet, and the insurance that your roof won’t fall on my nephew’s head.”

“The roof is already fixed.” Kili replied bluntly.

“So you don’t like using other people’s money?” Thorin asked with a kind smile.

“Not my money, not mine to spend.” Kili replied in a strong voice.

“I might learn to like him with time.” Thorin told Fili with a smile. “He does have his qualities but you need to get him a spine to face my bad moods.”

“No, thank you.” Kili felt strong and safe.

“Anyway do this right.” Thorin told the huge man firmly.

“We will.” Dwalin assured him.

“And tomorrow I’ll see if you still remember what I taught you about fixing furniture.” He pointed his finger at Fili.

“Are you guys working or half assing?” Nori hissed from the staircase.

“Working!” Dwalin jumped and with a smile reached for a hammer.

“Let’s get to work then!” Nori smiled and went back to fixing the electricity.

“Let’s go we still have a restaurant to paint.” Fili told them and pulled Kili down the stairs.

“I need to get the plumbing done.” Bofur smiled and went after Nori into the bedroom area.

“So what do you honestly think of him?” Thorin asked Dwalin as they were left alone with Bifur.

“He’s great for Fili.” Dwalin told him slowly. “I’ve never seen him this happy. The boy is a bit fragile, but he’s proud and resourceful. It’s rare to see a kid so dedicated into getting a home and to work his ass off just to buy out a dilapidated building.”

“A home?” Thorin asked surprised.

“For what I understand the family is a foster family.” Dwalin told him slowly. “Bilbo adopted and raised five kids.”

“Interesting.” Thorin noticed with a smirk. “So the kid is fearful for a reason?”

“Don’t you dare ask Fili...” Dwalin noticed.

“Do you still have your friends?” Thorin asked in a low voice.

Dwalin just nodded. “I’ll check things out.” Dwalin assured him.

\------

After painting the restaurant walls, Fili pulled Kili back upstairs to make some dinner.

“Don’t think much about uncle.” Fili assured him as they were chopping some vegetables and meat to make some food.

“Is he always that nice?” Kili asked slowly.

“To people he thinks are using me and who want the money instead of me.” Fili told him with a smile.

“I don’t give a shit about his money or your money...” Kili told him gently.

“That’s why I’m with you.” Fili kissed him.

“Why is he so obsessed with his money?’ Kili asked gently.

“Says the one who is equally obsessed.” Fili smiled.

“I’m obsessed with not accepting charity.” Kili pointed his finger at Fili.

“I love you...” Fili kissed him.

“Are you guys planning any dinner?” Bofur gazed into the kitchen.

“Ten minutes!” Fili yelled back.

“Are you both decent?” Bofur asked with a smile.

“Shut up!” Fili gasped at him.

“We’re eating on the roof.” Kili made the call and began pulling out plates as Fili was mixing the stir fry in a wok.

“I’ll get everyone!” Bofur smiled and left them alone again. “Get some beers as well.”

“I’m on it.” Kili told him with a smile as he put everything on a tray. “I’ll come down in a moment and help you with the rice.” Kili kissed him quickly and rushed upstairs to the roof.

Fili smiled as continued to mix the food, later he put everything in big bowls. When Kili rushed downstairs and kissed him just to grab the rice, he could only feel unbelievable happy.

“Damn this view is amazing!” Thorin gazed at the roof garden and the view. The rooftop was everyone’s favourite place to rest, and there were enough chairs to sit down and eat dinner.

“That’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to live here.” Kili hesitantly admitted.

“So the roof belongs to you?” Thorin gazed at the brunet.

“Yes.” Kili replied without any details.

“The only entrance is going to be from our flat.” Fili added slowly.

“That’s comfortable.” Thorin nodded and tried the food. “So you still haven’t forgotten how to cook?”

“I had lots of practice the last months.” Fili smiled happily.

“I thought you were adult enough, but now I think I left you alone for a bit too long.” Thorin suddenly noticed. “I’ll stick around.” He added.

“If you irritate my boyfriend...” Fili’s voice hung low.

“Not planning to...” Thorin replied.

“No one ever plans such things... Shit just happens.” Bofur butted in their conversation. “And we all know it all depends on how much coffee you had...” He pointed his finger at Thorin.

“I’ll be nice...” Thorin hissed.

“Like a pit bull terrier...” Dwalin added, the smile on Thorin’s face was priceless.

“I’ve heard a lot of insults but that’s a new one...” Thorin noticed with a smirk.

“Wait till you meet Bilbo...” Dwalin smiled.

“Yeah, he’ll rip you apart for making Kili nervous...” Bofur smiled an all-meaning smile.

“Bilbo?” Thorin asked and gazed at Fili.

“Kili’s dad.” Fili added. “He can be scary...”

“Well he decided to raise five kids with dark pasts...” Nori added. “That says it all.”

“He’s not that scary...” Kili shrugged his shoulders.

Nori just laughed. “You didn’t see him at his best...” He just raised his eyebrows.

“Oh you mean that...” Kili smiled hesitantly.

“Anyway time to get to work...” Dwalin stretched lazily.

“Just a few more days...” Bofur added and finished his beer.

“Are you serious about helping out with the furniture?” Fili asked Thorin with a shy smile.

“You’re my only real family... so it’s not like I have a real choice.” Thorin smiled at him.

“You don’t have to give a shit...” Kili noticed.

“I prefer to snoop around.” Thorin noticed with a smile.

“Anyway how are we getting out?” Bofur asked them in a grim tone.

“The door shut itself again?” Kili asked without any worry.

“I told you to change that lock...” Nori hissed and got up. He searched the area around whole Bofur and Dwalin were trying to determine why the lock wouldn’t budge.

“May I?” He finally asked them to step aside and to their astonishment using two pins he quickly manoeuvred inside the lock and opened the door.

“I’ll change the lock myself later today.” He told Kili firmly.

“You can pick a lock?” Dwalin gazed at him in a strange way.

“A strange skill, but comes in handy.” Nori easily brushed the suggestion off.

“I’ve always wondered where people get such skills...” Thorin gazed at the red head warily.

“You don’t really want to know...” Nori smiled and walked downstairs with a huge smirk happy with the way Bofur was looking at him.

“Well I’ll be damned....” Dwalin smiled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more... Still depressed...


	7. Chapter 7

“So any other surprises up your sleeve?” Bofur teased Nori as he arrived back to work.

“I’m full of surprises.” Nori told him confidently.

Bofur smiled at that, the fiery red head intriguing and thrilling beyond measure. He never met anyone so complex and surprising. Startling from the tattoos he could see on his forearms, and the question how much more of his body was marked with ink. To the spitefulness and smiles, to the mischief clearly shining in his eyes. He was the most interesting person he met in a long time. And he seemed to have no idea what kind of family Fili was from, and the money that came with it. He treated them all as normal people, and Bofur almost forgot what that felt. His eyes rested on the injured hands and he remember how the boy was hitting the wall in frustration.

“So what do you normally do?” Bofur suddenly realised he knew little about him.

“Lots of stuff, I mainly help out.” Nori shrugged his shoulder, he knew that sounded bad, but he had no real education and he had no real profession.

“So you don’t work?” Bofur asked.

“I never said that...” Nori hissed at him with spite.

“Then what do you do?” Bofur asked again with a smile.

“I help with the cafe, I help with Frodo, I take care of the house and garden and stuff.” Nori shrugged again. “I fix, repair and renovate.”

“Why don’t you...” Bofur suddenly asked.

“...find a real job?” Nori finished with a hiss. Bofur gazed at him and saw the light brown eyes gaze at him with fury. “Not everyone has talent for everything, and the things I have talent for are not really respected.” Nori hissed and left him there dumb folded.

Bofur followed him down to the garage again, when he finally caught up to him he placed his hand on Nori’s arm.

“It’s never too late to go to collage... and find what you want to do in life...” Bofur slowly told him.

“I’d have to finish high school first...” Nori grimaced. “And I have absolutely no idea what I’d like to do...”

Bofur’s face fell when he heard the red head stopped going to school and didn’t even graduate.

Nori gazed at him. “I don’t want your pity...” He spat at him. “It’s not like I didn’t want to, I just couldn’t...”

"What...?" Nori gasped as Bofur cut the distance between them and kissed him again. At first Nori gave in, the kiss giving him pleasure and he felt safe for a time. But when Bofur tried to embrace him more intimately he got a reaction he never expected. The shy kiss turned into a desperate struggle, Bofur stopped the kiss and gazed at Nori's wide eyes. The red head was terrified, his fearful reaction making Bofur's heart sink, he never had a reaction like that, but what the red head did was crazy. Nori in a surprise move pulled away and struck him with all his strength. And despite being slim and short he did have a lot strength.

"I told you to fuck off, don't you understand English or what?" Nori spat at him and stepped as far away as possible.

"I thought...." Bofur told him gently.

"You thought what?" Nori hissed with spite.

"That you were like me, sorry if I got the wrong impression..." Bofur told him as gently as possible.

"Like fuck you were..." Nori was out of breath in a near state of panic.

"I won't try anything ever again... I don’t molest people who don't like me..." Bofur assured him. "I'm sorry..." He tried to calm the red head down.

The way Nori was looking at him made Bofur feel lost. In his eyes was a sticking mixture from fear to rage, from lust to hurt. It was as if the words meant to reassure him that he was safe offended him. It was as if he had suffered a huge trauma and the only logical explanation coming to Bofur's mind was mind blowing.

“Who hurt you?” Bofur asked him gently.

“That’s none of your fucking business...” The red head rushed out with tears in his eyes.

\------

“I think we should talk.” Kili told Bofur gently as Nori did not show up the next day.

“Talk.” Bofur told him looking at the wall ,not even turning towards the brunet.

“You like him don’t you?” Kili asked him slowly.

“He doesn’t like me... so what does that matter...” Bofur shrugged his shoulder and continued to put the glue onto the wall.

“It’s not really like that...” Kili told him gently. And when Bofur did not answer or even look at him he decided to continue. “He had some difficult times and experiences. And he’s not open to strangers. I’ve known him for many years now... and believe me when I say it, he likes you. But he’s difficult...”

“Difficult as fuck...” Bofur hissed. “And he’s got a hell of a swing.” He turned to show Kili his black eye.

“He had a lot of practise with that.” Kili told him shyly. “It would be great if you find the time and patience to tame him, but he’s like a wild animal. You’re the first person he talked to like that ever... the first he ever showed any interest. But I’ll understand if it’s too much for you...” Kili looked down feeling he overstepped.

Bofur just gasped with defeat. “I can’t make any promises.” He told him firmly.

“I’m not expecting any. If you play around and then leave him, it would kill him. Just like losing Fili would kill me.” Kili told him and left the brunet to continue his work. Bofur gazed at his disappearing back lost in thought and finally he returned to his work.

\-----

The work was quickly going forward. Dwalin knew what should be done and he made sure it was done properly. Thorin showed up a few times to work with Fili on the furniture and Kili slowly accepting the presence of the domineering man.

One day Dori showed up and poked his nose around and left them Frodo.

“We have a babysitting crisis.” Dori told them. “So would you mind if he stays here with you?”

“Of course!” Kili hugged the boy.

“Good morning!” Thorin came in surprised to see two people he did not know.

“Uncle meet Kili’s oldest brother Dori, and youngest Frodo.” Fili quickly introduced them.

“It’s a pleasure to met you Sir.” Dori spoke in his normal business tone.

“Likewise.” Thorin slowly nodded, and glanced at the boy hiding behind Kili.

“Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand to the child, surprising the small boy.

“Pleased to meet you Sir.” The boy shyly extended his hand and hid behind Kili again.

“He needs to do some family tree project for school, so we though you could help him draw it.” Dori told Kili with a smile.

“A family tree?” Kili asked surprised with a wide smile. “That’s great!” He lifted the boy with ease.

“Bilbo will pick him up after six.” Dori told them calmly. “I have to get to work, if you need anything I’ll be at the cafe.”

“See you later!” Fili bid him goodbye as Dori had to get back to work.

“So he works at the cafe?” Thorin asked Fili slowly.

“He’s the manager.” Fili confirmed.

“So have you ever seen what you can do with an old chair?” Thorin asked the small boy who gazed up at him with huge blue eyes.

The boy shook his head surprised. Thorin extended his hand towards him. The boy looked up to him and then to Kili, and Kili slowly nodded.

“My school project?” Frodo asked hesitantly.

“We’ll have enough time.” Kili assured him.

The boy smiled and took Thorin’s hand, and together with Fili they went to the garage where Thorin set up his work place. Frodo with wide eyes watched them get rid of the old paint from the chairs and when Thorin gave him a paint brush and instructed him slowly how to paint the chairs, Frodo seemed the happiest child in the world.

“School project?” Kili reminded Frodo around five. “Dinner?” He gazed at Fili with a smirk.

“Fine, fine I’m coming!” Fili smiled and followed them upstairs. He grabbed the boy and lifted him with ease causing a wild wave of laughter.

When Thorin came upstairs half an hour later, he saw Fili work hard in the kitchen, and Kili and Frodo at the table drawing a huge tree.

He slowly walked towards the two dark haired brothers. The drawing was a bit surprising, and Thorin gazed at it surprised.

“So these are your parents?” Thorin asked slowly gazing at two people drawn in clouds instead of the tree.

“They are up in heaven.” Frodo explained. “So they are looking down on the tree.”

“I see.” Thorin gazed at the two sketches probably done by Kili.

“And who’s this?” He asked pointed to the main person on the tree.

“That’s uncle Bilbo. He’s my dad now.” Frodo calmly explained.

“And these are?” Thorin asked gently.

“My brothers.” Frodo explained. “Kili, Dori, Nori and Ori.” He pointed to the characteristic people.

“Won’t your teachers be mad if Kili draws the people for you?” Thorin asked gently.

“We were suppose to use photos, so this is better.” Frodo smiled.

“A great idea.” Thorin complimented the idea. “Kili your drawings are great! You’re going to have the best tree!” He praised the boy.

“Thank you!” Frodo smiled happily.

“Maybe some help over here? I’m not really used to cooking for so many people!” Fili complained from the kitchen.

“Finish colouring the tree and clouds.” Kili told Frodo and rushed to the kitchen.

“Are we eating on the roof?” Thorin asked with a smile.

“Of course!” Fili quickly replied.

“I’ll carry the plates.” Thorin grabbed the tray.

As everyone finally made their way upstairs to the roof to eat the pasta prepared by Fili, the whole crew showed up.

Mid dinner a cheerful voice startled them. “Dad!” Frodo yelled and rushed to hug Bilbo.

“Hi little rabbit!” Bilbo hugged him.

“Are you hungry?” Fili immediately proposed.

“Of course I am!” Bilbo smiled lightly.

“Bilbo meet my uncles Thorin and Dwalin. My cousins Bifur and Bofur.” Fili quickly introduced his family and gave Bilbo his own chair and sat on the armrest of Kili’s chair.

“Nice to meet you all!” Bilbo smiled lightly, as he got the plate with the pasta.

“I finished my project!” Frodo began chatting. “Kili helped me draw the faces!”

“That’s great rabbit.” Bilbo smiled at him.

“I also watched Fili and his uncle how to fix old furniture, and they even let me paint a chair!” Frodo spoke with enthusiasm. Bilbo gazed at the handsome man next to Fili.

“So you had a great afternoon?” Bilbo asked with a smile.

“Fantastic!” Frodo smiled happily.

“So would you like a tour of the flat?” Kili asked with a smile. “We’re almost done!”

“Almost?” Dwalin asked with a smile. “More like a week more of work ahead of us!”

“Are you going to hand paint your own flat?” Bilbo asked both Kili and Fili.

“We can’t make up our mind what we want to have, so for now it’s going to be white. We can also do that later.” Fili explained.

“But all four bathrooms are ready.” Kili assured him.

“I can’t wait.” Bilbo admitted.

“Once you finish eating we’ll show you around.” Fili told him with a smile.

“We love the garden, from what I understand you started it?” Thorin asked.

“Gardening has always been my hobby.” Bilbo admitted.

“The garden at our home is even better!” Frodo gasped with enthusiasm. “We have huge trees and lots and lots of flowers! And a vegetable garden! You should come over and see it!”

“If you have the time that is.” Bilbo corrected politely. “Why don’t you all come for lunch on Sunday.” He gazed around. “I’d like to see Bombur and Mathilda again as well. We haven’t thrown a real party in a long time.”

“That’s a great idea!” Kili agreed.

“Why not!” Dwalin added with a smile.

Bofur did not reply with enthusiasm, ever since Nori split he felt a bit hollow and empty.

“So around noon on Sunday? Kili will give you the address.” He told them lightly. “Now show me what you’ve done to my building.”

“Your building?” Kili squeaked.

Bilbo just smiled at him coyly. “One third is still mine!” Bilbo smiled and motioned Kili to show him around.

“I want to see too!” Frodo got up and extended his hand to Thorin and when the solemn man grabbed the small hand the boy just smiled radiantly.

After walking around the almost ready rooms and huge space and chatting about what else was planned, Bilbo excused them saying Frodo had school the next day and they needed to get home. He smiled one last time at the dark haired handsome man, and left the happy couple in their almost ready flat.

 


End file.
